Coil turner



Dec. 12, 1961 J. c. MOROCO ETAL 3,012,683

con TURNER Filed Aug. 25, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 l0 INVENTORS N John C.M0r0c0. Leonard] Weldon 0 E2 John VFI/scher "d ATTORNEYS I Dec. 12,1961

Filed Aug. 25, 1958 J. C. MOROCO ETAL COIL'TURNER 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS John 0. Maroon, Leomvrd/Ewldon John VFischer in ATTORNEYS Dec. 12, 1961 J. c. MoRoco ETAL 3,012,683

COIL"TURNER' Filed Aug. 25, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORS John CZMoroco, Leozu'zniFZWeldon-w ATTORNEYS John I'ffisahar 'Zz United States Patent Office 3,012,683 Patented Dec. 12., 1961 3,012,683 COIL TURNER John C. Moroco, Farrell, and Leonard F. Weldon and John V. Fischer, Sharon, Pa., assignors to Sharon Steel Corporation, Sharon, Pa., a corporation of Pennsyl' Vania Filed Aug. 25, 1958, Ser. No. 756,791 Claims. (Cl. 214-130) This invention relates to coil handling apparatus and more particularly it pertains to a device for turning metal coil from vertical to horizontal positions or vice versa.

When metal strip, such as steel strip, issues from a strip mill, it is collected on a coiler or tension reel as a coil whose diameter extends in an upright or vertical position in which the successive laps of the coil are horizontally disposed so that the coil axis is horizontal. For most subsequent operations such as heat treating, transporting, or storing, it is preferred that the coil be placed on a support or pallet or in a packing box with its diameter in what is herein termed a horizontal position. After a heat treating operation the coil may be returned to the mill for cold rolling, in which case it is necessary to again turn the coil from the horizontal to the vertical position.

Inasmuch as the coils are usually very heavy and bulky, there is no convenient method for turning the coils from the vertical to the horizontal position and vice versa. In the past the coils have been turned by a conventional mill crane which upsets the coil by simply tipping it over when it is removed from the coiler. Such procedure is unsatisfactory because the coil falls and damages the edges of each coil lap.

Another procedure formerly used for turning coil involved a crane magnet. That procedure also proved unsatisfactory because if the outer laps of the coil were loose they would slide over each other and cause surface scratching between adjacent laps. That method was used for carbon steels but was not used with stainless steel which is non-magnetic.

Other devices have been used for turning coils but have proven unsatisfactory. For one reason, prior coil turning devices have not sufficed because they have been of ponderous construction and not readily adapted to small space limits for handling heavy and bulky coils. For another reason, prior coil turning devices have been unsatisfactory because they have not been compactly constructed for easy portability to various locations such as adjacent the coiler of a strip mill, or in the area of an annealing shop, or. in the shipping department where the coils may also be turned and placed on skids for shipment or storage.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a coil turner for metal coil which readily turns a bulky coil from the vertical to horizontal position or vice versa.

It is another object of this invention to provide a coil turning device of substantial and compact construction to accommodate coils having relatively large weights and bulk in confined areas.

It is another object of this invention to provide a coil turner which is not only small enough for easy portability and provided with rigid, stable, support structures and mechanical devices for readily turning coils of greatly varying sizeand weight but is also economical to operate.

Finally, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved coil turner which incorporates the foregoing desiderata in an inexpensive manner and with simplified maintenance and operation.

These and other objects and advantages'apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description and claims may be attained, the stated results achieved and described difficulties overcome by the discoveries, principles, apparatus, parts, combinations, subcombinations, and elements which comprise the present invention, the nature of which is set forth in the following statement, preferred embodiments of whichillustrative of the best modes in which applicants have contemplated applying the principlesare set forth in the following description, and which are particularly and distinctly pointed out and set forth in the appended claims forming part hereof.

The nature of the improved apparatus of the present invention may be stated in general terms as including a coil turner for metal coils having a base plate, a pair of spaced upright frame members on the base plate, a horizontal rotatable shaft journally mounted on and between the frame members, reciprocable rotary power means for rotating the shaft through a arc, hydraulic means including an electric motor, a hydraulic pump, and a hydraulic system connected to the rotary power means for actuating the same, a turntable fixedly mounted on the shaft and rotatable through a 90 are between vertical and horizontal positions, means extending substantially perpendicular from the turntable for receiving a metal coil thereon, and slot means associated with the turntable for permitting a coil to be engaged on and disengaged from the turntable coil receiving means.

By way of example, preferred embodiments of the apparatus of the present invention are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the coil turner showing a metal coil mounted on the turntable in horizontal position;

FIG. 2 is a front end view showing the turntable in the horizontal position;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view with a portion of the mandrel broken away, showing the turntable in the verti cal position and showing an intermediate position of the turntable in broken lines;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the coil turner showing the turntable in the vertical position;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 55 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a rear end view of a hydraulic reservoir tank showing the hydraulic fluid system including the hydraulic FIG. 7 is a vertical sectional view of a reciprocable hydraulic motor;

FIG. 8 is an end view of the turntable in the vertical position with a coil mounted thereon in broken lines; and

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the turntable.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the drawings.

In the drawings a coil turner is generally indicated at 1. It includes a base plate 2, a pair of spaced frame members or supports 3 and 4, a turntable 5, a reciprocal motor 6, and a hydraulic power unit generally indicated at 7. Y

The coil turner 1 is adapted to rotate the turntable 5 from the vertical position shown by the solid lines in FIG. 3 through intermediate positions shown by the broken lines of FIG. 3 to the horizontal position of FIG. 2. In FIG. 1 a coil 8 of strip metal is mounted on the turntable 5 for illustrative purposes, but in all of the other figures of the drawings the coil is excluded.

As shown in FIG. 1, the frame members or supports 3 and 4 extendupright on the base plate 3 where the lower ends of the members are secured by angle members 9 and 10 which are bolted at 11 to the base plate 2. The upper ends of'the angle members 9 and 10 are welded at 12 and 13 to the frame members 3 and 4 respectively. Between the upper ends of the members 3 and 4 the reciprocal motor 6 is mounted by bolts 14. The motor 6 is preferably a hydraulically operated rotary power unit having, as shown in FIG. 7, an outer cylindrical shell 15, a shaft 16 centrally disposed in the shell with a single vane 17 extending from the shaft. A wall or divider 18 is also provided in the shell between inlet ports 19 and 20. Thus, the interior of the shell is divided into two chambers by the divider 18 and vane 17, each of which chambers communicates with one of the inlet ports 19 and 20. When hydraulic fluid is introduced into the shell 15 through the port 19, the port 20 serves as an outlet whereby the vane 17 is rotated with the shaft counterclockwise to the divider 18. Contrarily when the hydraulic fluid is introduced into the shell through the port 20 so that the port 19 serves as a fluid outlet, the vane 17 rotates clockwise to the divider 18.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the shaft 16 extends outwardly from opposite ends of the motor 6 where end portions of the shaft are seated in bearings 21 and 22. The bearing 21 is mounted on a cross plate 23 at the top of a pair of support elements 24 and 25, the lower ends of which are welded at 26 to the outer surface of the frame member 3. Likewise, the bearing 22 is mounted on a cross plate 27 at the top of a pair of support elements 28 and 29, the lower ends of which are secured by welds 30 to the outer surface of the frame member 4.

The turntable 5 is preferably circular, as shown in FIG. 8, and is secured by bolts 31 to the upper sides of arms 32 and 33. The arms 32 and 33 are provided with splined bushings 34 and 35, respectively, which as shown for the arm 32 in FIG. 5 are mounted on a portion of the shaft 16 which are correspondingly splined at 36 to receive the splined bushing 34. Also, as shown in FIG. 5, the arm 32 is secured to the splined bushing 34 by weld 37.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 8, the upper surface of the turntable is provided with four spaced wearing blocks 38 preferably composed of wood which contact the edges of the coil 8. The hydraulic power unit 7 includes an electric motor 39, a hydraulic pump 40, a tank 41 for bydraulic fluid and various hydraulic fluid conduits. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the electric motor 39 and hydraulic pump 40 are mounted on a bed plate 42 on the base plate 2. A motor shaft 43 (FIGS. 3 and 4) is connected to a shaft 44 of the pump 40 by a coupling 45.

In FIG. 6, the pump 40 is mounted in the lower portion of the tank 41 below a bottom plate 46 forming the lower side of a hydraulic fluid reservoir chamber 47, the upper end of which has a cover 48 having an access opening 49 with a removable cap 50, as shown in FIG. 4.

The lower portion of the tank 41 is apertured at 51 and 52 (FIGS. 3 and 6) and a hydraulic supply pipe 53 extends to the pump 40 through the aperture 51. The pipe 53 is provided with a hand valve 54 and extends into the reservoir chamber 47 where a hydraulic fluid screen filter 55 is provided for intake of hydraulic fluid from the reservoir chamber.

As shown in FIG. 6, a pipe 56 extends from the outlet side of the pump 65 and upwardly, outside of the tank 41 to the upper end thereof where a pressure control valve 57 is provided. A pipe 58 extends from one side of the control valve 57 through the upper end of the tank 41 where it communicates with the reservoir chamber 47 and provides a return for excess hydraulic fluid. In FIG. 6, a conduit 59 extends from the upper side of the control valve 57 to a rotary pilot valve 60 having a hand operated handle 61 that directs hydraulic fluid from the conduit 59 to one of either conduits 62 and 63 which extend to the hydraulic motor 6 where they are connected to the inlet ports 19 and 20, respectively (FIG. 7). The pilot valve 60 is also provided with a fluid return position whereby hydraulic fluid returned from the hydraulic motor 6 through one of the conduits 62and 63 is directed through the valve 60 to the reservoir chamber 47 Finally, an overflow pipe 65 extends from the hydraulic pump 40 to the upper end of the hydraulic chamber 47 so that when the pressure controlled by valve 57 is set for a pressure less than that provided by the pump 40, the backup of fluid pressure in the pipe 56 is partially relieved through pipe 65 into chamber 47. Thus, when the electric motor is operating the pump 40, the hydraulic fluid makes a continuous circuit through the hydraulic system including the pump 40, the valves 57 and 6G and the reservoir chamber 47. Part of the fluid is directed into the hydraulic motor 6 where it functions to operate the motor either clockwise or counterclockwise in the manner described above.

As shown in FIGS. 2, 3, 4 and 8, the turntable 5 is provided with a mandrel 66 which is annular and extends at right angles from the surface of the turntable. The mandrel 66 fits into the central opening of the usual coil 8 of metal strip for retaining the coil on the turntable when the latter is rotated between the horizontal and vertical positions.

When a coil 8 is mounted on the turntable in a vertical position (FIG. 8), the coil rests upon the upper side of the mandrel 66 where an elongated aperture or slot 67 (FIGS. 3 and 4) is disposed. The aperture 67 enables placement of a coil 8 on the turntable in the vertical position. A coil is usually removed from a rolling mill coiler by either a fork lift truck or a mill crane having a hook with a horizontal portion. The aperture 67 permits the crane hook or fork on a fork lift truck to move downwardly through the aperture when the coil is placed on the turntable. As shown in FIG. 8, a pair of spaced members 68 is disposed within the mandrel 66 for reinforcing the same. The members 68 are retained in place by end welds 69. The mandrel 66 is rigidly secured on the turntable 5 in a conventional manner, such as by welding (not shown).

As shown in FIG. 1, the coil 8 in horizontal position is mounted on the wearing blocks 38 which also provide a space between the coil 8 and the turntable, which space among other things may be used for lifting the coil from the turntable such as by the insertion of grab hooks (not shown) having coil engaging portions adapted to enter said space.

Another embodiment of the turntable is shown at 70 in FIG. 9. The turntable 70 is provided with a flange 71 extending from the surface thereof and over an arcuate portion of the periphery of the turntable. The flange 70 is preferably secured to the turntable 70 by a weld 72. In addition, the turntable 70 includes an elongated slot 73 extending from the upper side of the turntable in the vertical position to a location below the center of the turntable. The slot 73, like the slot 67 on the turntable 5, is adapted to receive the end of a hook of a crane or a fork of a fork lift truck which may extend beyond the side of the coil when placed upon the turntable 70. When a coil is placed upon the turntable 70 in the vertical position, the weight of the coil is supported by the flange 71. Finally, the turntable 70 is provided with a plurality of spaced bolt holes 74 whereby the turntable may be mounted on a coil turner by bolts 31 in a manner similar to turntable 5.

The device of the present invention provides a coil turner for metal coil having a rigid support directly below the turning axis of the turntable and thereby provides a structure which easily accommodates coils of very heavy and bulky mass. The coil turner also is provided with a direct drive for rotating the turntable, which drive is disposed on the turning axis of the turntable and which is mounted compactly between the rigid support members of the turning axis. Moreover, the coil turner includes other turntable operating units, such as an electric motor and hydraulic pump, which are likewise disposed within the relatively small confines of the support members.

Finally, the coil turner is a compact unit which is easily portable from one location to another and which is economical to operate because it may be attached to the most available electrical outlets in the vicinity of the work area merely by plugging in an electric cord for the motor.

In the foregoing description certain terms have been used for brevity, clearness and understanding, but no unnecessary limitations are to be implied therefrom beyond the requirements of the prior art, because such words are used for descriptive purposes herein and are intended to be broadly construed.

Moreover, the embodiments of the improved construc tion illustrated and described herein are by way of example, and the scope of the present invention is not limited to the exact details of construction shown.

Having now described the features, constructions and principles of the invention, the characteristics of the coil turner and the advantageous, new and useful results provided; the new and useful discoveries, principles, parts, elements, combinations, subcombinations, structures and arrangements, and mechanical equivalents obvious to those skilled in the art are set forth in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A coil turner for metal coils and for use with a vertically movable coil lifting member and which turner is wholly portable for use at various locations, the turner having a base plate, a pair of spaced upright frame members on the base plate, a horizontal rotatable shaft journally mounted on and between the frame members, reciprocable rotary power means between the frame members and on the shaft for rotating the shaft through a 90 arc, hydraulic means on the base plate and including an electric motor, a hydraulic pump, and a hydraulic system connected to the rotary power means for actuating the same, a turntable member fixedly mounted on the shaft and rotatable through a 90 are between vertical and horizontal positions, the turntable having a central axis extending perpendicular to the surface of the turntable and extending transversely through and perpendicu larly to the axis of the rotatable shaft, a coil support member extending substantially perpendicular from the turntable member for receiving a metal coil thereon, and slot means associated with one of said coil support and turntable members for permitting a coil to be engaged on and disengaged from the turntable coil support member.

2. A coil turner for metal coils and for use with a vertically movable coil lifting member and which turner is wholly portable for use at various locations, the turner having a base plate, a pair of spaced upright frame members on the base plate, a reciprocable rotary power motor having a shell bolted on and between the spaced frame members, the rotary power motor having a central shaft extending horizontally through the frame members, shaft support members extending laterally outwardly from each frame member, the outer extremities of the shaft being journally mounted on the shaft support members, a turntable support arm fixedly mounted on the shaft between each frame member and the outer journally mounted extremity of the shaft, the turntable being rotatable between vertical and horizontal positions, the center of the turntable being on an axis extending through and perpendicular to the axis of the central shaft, a coil support member on the turntable having an arcuate portion for receiving and maintaining a coil on the table during rotation thereof, and one of the turntable and coil support members having elongated slot means for movement therethrough by a vertically movable coil lifting member.

3. The construction set forth in claim 2, in which the arcuate coil support member is a cylindrical member substantially centrally disposed on the turntable, and in which the cylindrical member is provided with an elongated slot extending from the outer extremity toward the turntable.

4. The construction set forth in claim '2 in which the arcuate coil support member is a flange extending outwardly from the side of the turntable which is lowermost when the turntable is in the vertical position and inwhich the turntable is provided with an elongated slot extending substantially from the center of the turntable to the side opposite the coil support flange.

5. A coil turner for metal coils and for use with a vertically movable coil lifting member and which turner is wholly portable for use at various locations, the turner having a base plate, a pair of spaced upright frame members on the base plate, a reciprocable rotary power motor having a shell bolted on and between the spaced frame members, the motor having a central shaft extending through the upright frame members, a turntable member fixedly mounted on a pair of support arms on the shaft and rotatable between vertical and horizontal positions, the turntable having a central axis extending perpendicular of the surface of the turntable and extending transversely through and perpendicular to the axis of the central shaft, a coil support jmember extending substantially perpendicular from the turntable for receiving a metal coil thereon, and slot means associated withone of said turntable and coil support members for permitting a coil to be engaged on and disengaged from the turntable coil support member by a vertically movable coil lifting member. 9

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,092,539 Talbot Sept. 7, 1937 2,135,890 Gedge Nov. 8, 1938 2,207,893 Nash July 16, 1940 2,418,299 Gorsuch Apr. 1, 1947 2,567,819 Matteson Sept. 11, 1951 2,711,832 Cigliano June 28, 1955 

